it's actually worked pretty good effect thus far on things like the fiscal cliff and debt ceiling. republicans will try to draw a line somewhere. i'm not sure why yet. >> they thought they could draw it on national security with chuck hagel, and we've seen in the last 48 hours the president picked up the phone and he cauldron widen. he hasn't called too many senators too often, even in his own party. he cauldron widen because they had a real obstacle, and he knew that his cia nominee, his close friend, someone he is really eager to have confirmed john brennan, was in trouble going to that hearing. now not so much trouble. >> not so much trouble. these hearings are always as much about the -- using the moment as a lever to dislodge things that congress wants as they are about the nominee himself. i don't think there were a lot of questions about john brennan's kwaul ficks for the job. if i might say to live township the transparency that's been happy to profess. can i go back to the state of the union? i want to add a little bit of a note of caution to all this presidential huffing